#1 - The Larch
By popular demand, here's what I'm doing in class.
First up is the Glosa - a poem constructed using 4 consecutive lines from *another* poem. The 'borrowed' lines appear at lines 10, 20, 30 and 40. They also share a rhyme with lines 6 and 9 in each stanza (line 10 being a borrowed line).
So, without further ado I present
Love in Starbucks
I wonder if you can see
I wonder if you can tell
I wonder if you see through the mask I wear so well
I'll never let you know what's going on inside me
“Shame” - Henry Rollins
You’re standing alone
at the counter
waiting for a Kenyan dark roast
Is there anyone in your life?
No ring on the third finger of your left hand
Are you interested in me?
Could you turn this way?
I’ll close my Macbook,
open my book of poetry
I wonder if you can see
My iPod has all the latest music
by all the coolest bands
My wardrobe is carefully chosen
to show just how hip I am
Come sit and talk,
so you can fall under my spell
I’ll tell you
“I’m new in town”
and “my MBA is from Cornell”
I wonder if you can tell
I want to leave my world behind
I hate my job,
all my friends
all the things I own
Rolex, Benz, Gucci
my new words for Hell
I need to escape
live on a beach
be content when I find a shell
I wonder if you see through the mask I wear so well
You’re just like them
I see that now
your bag proudly says ‘Prada’
I see dollar signs in your eyes
as you pull up that chair
telling me I look ‘lawyerly’
I just smile and nod
I’ve played this game before
I know how it’s going to be
So I'll never let you know what's going on inside me
First up is the Glosa - a poem constructed using 4 consecutive lines from *another* poem. The 'borrowed' lines appear at lines 10, 20, 30 and 40. They also share a rhyme with lines 6 and 9 in each stanza (line 10 being a borrowed line).
So, without further ado I present
Love in Starbucks
I wonder if you can see
I wonder if you can tell
I wonder if you see through the mask I wear so well
I'll never let you know what's going on inside me
“Shame” - Henry Rollins
You’re standing alone
at the counter
waiting for a Kenyan dark roast
Is there anyone in your life?
No ring on the third finger of your left hand
Are you interested in me?
Could you turn this way?
I’ll close my Macbook,
open my book of poetry
I wonder if you can see
My iPod has all the latest music
by all the coolest bands
My wardrobe is carefully chosen
to show just how hip I am
Come sit and talk,
so you can fall under my spell
I’ll tell you
“I’m new in town”
and “my MBA is from Cornell”
I wonder if you can tell
I want to leave my world behind
I hate my job,
all my friends
all the things I own
Rolex, Benz, Gucci
my new words for Hell
I need to escape
live on a beach
be content when I find a shell
I wonder if you see through the mask I wear so well
You’re just like them
I see that now
your bag proudly says ‘Prada’
I see dollar signs in your eyes
as you pull up that chair
telling me I look ‘lawyerly’
I just smile and nod
I’ve played this game before
I know how it’s going to be
So I'll never let you know what's going on inside me